Dahlia plant named ‘VDTG67’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘VDTG67’, characterized by its compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark-colored foliage; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescence form; inflorescences with bright red purple-colored ray florets; and good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VDTG67’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahliaplant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘VDTG67’.

The new Dahlia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new compact container-type Dahlia cultivars thathave a freely branching growth habit, early and freely flowering habit,daisy inflorescence form, attractive ray floret coloration, and goodpostproduction longevity and garden performance.

The new Dahlia originated from an open-pollination in Lisse, TheNetherlands during the summer of 2003 of a proprietary seedlingselection of Dahlia hybrida identified as code R, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with an unidentified selection of Dahliahybrida, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment inLisse, The Netherlands during the summer of 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia by cuttings since the spring of2005 in a controlled environment in Lisse, The Netherlands, has shownthat the unique features of this new Dahlia are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar VDTG67 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘VDTG67’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘VDTG67’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofDahlia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded        plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Dark-colored foliage.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Daisy-type inflorescence form.    -   6. Inflorescences with bright red purple-colored ray florets.    -   7. Good postproduction longevity and garden performance.

Plants of the new Dahlia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more uniform than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection        differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the female parent        selection have red-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the Dahliacultivar Scura, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inLisse, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants ofthe cultivar Scura in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were more compact and denser than        plants of the cultivar Scura.    -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia had darker colored foliage than        plants of the cultivar Scura.    -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and the cultivar Scura differed in        ray floret color as plants of the cultivar Scura had orange        red-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Dahlia. The photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Dahlia.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘VDTG67’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Lisse, TheNetherlands during the summer and autumn in an outdoor nursery and underconditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 10° C. to 20° C. Plants were pinched one time about three to fourweeks after planting. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for typical flowering plants. Plants were about three to fourmonths old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida cultivar VDTG67.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Dahlia hybrida identified as code R, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Dahlia            hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures of about 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures of about 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 days            at temperatures of about 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 22 days            at temperatures of about 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; 157D in            color. If tubers develop, they are corky in texture and 199D            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright to somewhat            outwardly spreading, mounded plant form. Freely basal            branching with about ten primary lateral branches; dense and            bushy plant habit. Inflorescences held above the foliage on            strong peduncles. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 20 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16 cm to 20 cm. Diameter:            About 1.2 cm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm to 5 cm.            Aspect: Erect to about 20° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 187A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be single or            compound with three or five leaflets.        -   Shape.—Ovate to oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate and divided; sinuses divergent.        -   Length.—Single leaves: About 4 cm. Compound leaves with            three leaflets: About 9 cm. Compound leaves with five            leaflets: About 15 cm.        -   Width.—Single leaves: About 2.2 cm. Compound leaves with            three leaflets: About 4.5 cm. Compound leaves with five            leaflets: About 8.2 cm.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            Between 200A and 202A; venation, 59B. Developing and fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 191A; venation,            59A.        -   Petiole length.—About 2.2 cm to 5 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 2 mm to 3 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—59A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Rotate single inflorescence form with ray and            disc florets. Inflorescences positioned above the foliage on            strong peduncles. Inflorescences face upright to slightly            outwardly. Freely flowering habit; about 35 inflorescences            develop per plant. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences            not fragrant.        -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously during the summer            and autumn in The Netherlands.        -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            substance for about one week on the plant and for about four            days as a cut flower.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About            9 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: 187A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.8 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.2 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.3 cm. Receptacle            height: About 4 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 8 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Aspect: Initially            upright to roughly perpendicular to the peduncle. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number            of ray florets per inflorescence: About eight arranged in a            single whorl. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: 72A; towards the apex, 83A. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: 72A; towards the apex, 83B.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate. Length: About            3 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 120. Color: Immature: Towards the apex,            185A; mid-section, 185D; towards the base, 1C. Mature:            Towards the apex, 21A; mid-section, 185D; towards the base,            1C.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About five arranged            in a single whorl. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 4 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 200A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: Terminal peduncle: About 25 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 12 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 4 cm.            Diameter: About 2.4 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 200A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per disc floret:            Five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: 1D.            Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            color: 17C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 23A.        -   Gynoecium.—Quantity per ray or disc floret: One. Pistil            length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma color:            23B. Style length: Less than 1 mm. Style color: 158C. Ovary            color: 160B.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color:            200A.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Color:            187A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from about 0° C. to about 45° C.

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘VDTG67’ as illustrated anddescribed.